Clearing Up Facts About Stray, Adoptable Pets

December 17, 1999

This letter is in response to incorrect information about the Animal Care and Regulation Division contained in the Nov. 20 letter, "Spay or neuter pet to ease overpopulation." The letter writer wrote, "But the stray animals picked up the Broward County Animal Regulation are only kept for 72 hours. It doesn't give an animal much time to be adopted."

Stray animals are never placed for adoption because the law considers them to be the property of their owners. There is a holding period for stray animals that come to our shelters to give their owners a chance to reclaim their lost animals. If the animal is not reclaimed by the end of the holding period, the animal becomes property of Broward County and it is evaluated for adoption.

The holding period for animals without identification is a minimum of 72 hours, and we will shelter with identification for a minimum of 120 hours. Last year we returned 1,984 animals to their owners.

A common misconception about the division is that we have a time limit for adoptable animals. Once we place an animal for adoption, there is no time limit as long as the animal remains healthy.

Finally, during hurricanes, we have not euthanized any animals to reduce overcrowding at our two shelters. We have cooperative agreements with other shelters in the tri-county area to hold each other's animals in case of a hurricane.